# Cigars in tins - small cigar reviews



## KPI (Jul 22, 2009)

I've tried searching and cannot find anything relating to this, except for "favorite small cigars". It seems that small cigars in tins are becoming more expensive, yet I know a lot of people, especially new smokers are turning to these. I even know of veteran cigar smokers who, due to the recent downturn of our economy, are switching to small cigars because they can no longer afford to buy boxes of the larger big brothers. I have several varieties available in my humis. Most of these were traditionally for lady smokers but I've found more men are enjoying them as well. I even enjoy some occasionally as well when I want just a short smoke.

For instance, I've got some Domaine Avo Puritos that I've had in my humi for almost 2 years now. Right from the tin they're nothing special, but I found even just resting for 2 or 3 days in cedar imparts a sweet cedar flavor to these babies that completely changes the nature of them. I decided to smoke one tonight that's been resting for almost 2 years now and they're really a very enjoyable short smoke. I shared one with a neighbor, Lorraine, who's been used to smoking the ones I bought this past spring. She couldn't believe the difference and insisted it was not the same critter. She thought I'd found a new and improved batch. 

So what do y'all think? One of the goals of this forum is to promote the virtues of cigar smoking. What better way than to help newcomers start off nice and easy with shorter and less intimidating smokes? Especially ones that don't put a big dent in the wallet in these economically strapped times. And sure, I prefer heftier and stouter cigars as a rule, but these smaller cigars definitely have a place amongst us. What say we have a section for this and have some honest to goodness reviews. I know of one already, the Casa Magna Pikitos, though I have yet to try any of the Casa Magna line. Still looking for em. 

:target: layball: Just bouncing it off the forum wall.


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## snowboardin58 (Dec 2, 2006)

I've not had that size in the Casa Magna line, but I can imagine it is tasty! I LOVE the Rocky Patel Juniors exclusive to Famous Smoke Shop.. tastes like a Montecristo Media Noche. I also love the Montecristo Puritos, but they are very small. I'd say for a "quick" smoke, something that comes in 8-12 pack tins work well for me, and something slightly longer, but still shorter than my normal, a Petite Corona suits well.

I also believe they age faster than a churchill, robusto, or toro. I hypothesize that the most influence from size is from the RG.


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## KPI (Jul 22, 2009)

snowboardin58 said:


> I also believe they age faster than a churchill, robusto, or toro. I hypothesize that the most influence from size is
> from the RG.


Yes, you're absolutely right. Being smaller in size allows them to age much faster, hence, a smoother and milder smoke in just a few days. That being so, a small smoke that's been resting 2 years could conceivably become the equivalent of one that's been aging what, maybe 3 - 4 years of the larger versions.

I think this could be a good topic, perhaps deserving of it's own section.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

I actually love the CAO Brazilia and Criollo that come in tins of 5. I often dont have the hour-plus that it takes to smoke a larger vitola and the little CAOs are perfect for those times.

You have to be careful though. Many, if not most, smaller, tinned cigars are nothing but machine rolled, short/medium filler analogues of their larger bands. Once you get below about 36rg, be very, very suspicious.


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## pitbulljimmy (Aug 1, 2009)

I started on, and still keep some Macanudo Cafe Ascots in the humi. I find them to be an excellent little smoke. Also the Macanudo Maduro Ascot for those time when you want a lot more flavor, in a little bit of time.
:canada:


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## JerseyDevil65 (Jan 18, 2009)

My favorite small tin smokes are the Partagas Black Prontos. Even though they are small, I can get 45-60 minutes out of them.


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## apevia (Jul 18, 2009)

I enjoy the Kahula cigars that come in a tin of 10, but they're discontinued now


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## stu929 (Jul 2, 2009)

The wife loves CAO Moontrance cigarillos. 

Sweet flavor to the lips, great smell for the occasional departure from the norm. We both prefer the Petite Coronas but these aren't bad. They can be a little on the expensive side if bought at a B&M around $17 for a tin of 10.

I have seen them online for ~$50 for 5 tins of 10 so half that of the B&M

Steve


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## KPI (Jul 22, 2009)

This isn't quite going the way I wanted it to go. There are already a lot of "I like such and such." I was more interested in having people try to write an actual review of small cigars. True, a lot of small cigars are made of leftover scraps and choppings, but that doesn't change the fact that they will age and taste much better and smoother if laid to rest awhile in a humidor. And granted, most people don't collect small cigars. Maybe I'm the odd one here because I do have a few of them. I dunno, it started out as an experiment but it turned into a nice treat for some people I know who do enjoy them. 

I thought it would be cool to have some actual reviews.


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## crit0086 (Dec 26, 2008)

Herf N Turf said:


> I actually love the CAO Brazilia and Criollo that come in tins of 5. I often dont have the hour-plus that it takes to smoke a larger vitola and the little CAOs are perfect for those times.
> 
> You have to be careful though. Many, if not most, smaller, tinned cigars are nothing but machine rolled, short/medium filler analogues of their larger bands. Once you get below about 36rg, be very, very suspicious.


Mini CAO Criollo cigars in packs of 5?? :shocked: Im going to have to get some of these.

Right now my go to short smoke is the mini CAO MX-2.


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## crit0086 (Dec 26, 2008)

KPI said:


> This isn't quite going the way I wanted it to go. There are already a lot of "I like such and such." I was more interested in having people try to write an actual review of small cigars. True, a lot of small cigars are made of leftover scraps and choppings, but that doesn't change the fact that they will age and taste much better and smoother if laid to rest awhile in a humidor. And granted, most people don't collect small cigars. Maybe I'm the odd one here because I do have a few of them. I dunno, it started out as an experiment but it turned into a nice treat for some people I know who do enjoy them.
> 
> I thought it would be cool to have some actual reviews.


Alright, let me give it a shot.

I just smoked a CAO Maduro Petite that I got in a tin of 10. 
I'm pretty sure it's machine rolled, and had low expectations going into it, so I was actually surprised with how good it was. This is a very small cigar. Not a whole lot bigger then a cigarette. It lit up well and burned evenly throughout the whole smoke. This was a medium bodied cigar that stayed pretty consistent throughout the whole thing with a peppery flavor, and decent amount of spice that definitely picked up more in the last third. I thought that it would start burning hot really quickly, but the heat didn't become un-pleasant until the last 1/4 of the cigar when I put it out. I think this lasted me somewhere from 15-20 minutes. I will definely pick some more of these up when I run out.

Hope this helps.


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## KPI (Jul 22, 2009)

crit0086 said:


> Alright, let me give it a shot.
> 
> I just smoked a CAO Maduro Petite that I got in a tin of 10.
> I'm pretty sure it's machine rolled, and had low expectations going into it, so I was actually surprised with how good it was. This is a very small cigar. Not a whole lot bigger then a cigarette. It lit up well and burned evenly throughout the whole smoke. This was a medium bodied cigar that stayed pretty consistent throughout the whole thing with a peppery flavor, and decent amount of spice that definitely picked up more in the last third. I thought that it would start burning hot really quickly, but the heat didn't become un-pleasant until the last 1/4 of the cigar when I put it out. I think this lasted me somewhere from 15-20 minutes. I will definely pick some more of these up when I run out.
> ...


This is more what I had in mind. Thanks Crit. There are quite a few deserving short smokes out there. I'm back for the weekend from Vermont so I will post a review of what I've been up to. I have quite a few of these little cigars in my humi that I've been sampling while on vaca.

PARTAGAS Black Label Prontos

Keeping in mind these are not like their bigger brothers, they are really an enjoyable little smoke. They are not really a full bodied smoke, but the draw is really nice throughout. The burn is very consistent until the end. I've found that they are hard to keep lit during the last inch or so, but if you work at it they will deliver a sligthtly bold full flavored smoke till the nub. I really liked the flavor, subtly sweet and spicy throughout and really a mouthful of of rich flavorful smoke. In the last week or so I've smoked about a dozen of these little babies and they are all consistent. I smoked 3 in a row one night out on the deck playing chess and I have to say it was really an enjoyable smoke that went well with gin and tonic. I have to say they've been in my humi for at least a year and that I never really took the time to smoke more than one or two before. They really have a big cigar taste yet are mild enough for a beginner smoker, as my new friend Linda could attest to. I am in fact hooked now on these little sweeties. At less than $2.00 a pop I am impressed at a small ring gage smoke. They're 4 3/16 by 36 rg and have a dark natural wrapper, but look more like a maduro to me. I'm not all about appearance, nor do I know if they're long filler. They look a tad rustic, and the ash won't hold much more than an inch or so, but I go more for flavor and smokeability than anything. This is a nice little smoke I'd rate at about 93. If not for the burn issue at the end I would have given it a 94. It lasted a good 30 - 35 minutes and never got too hot and it's a smoke that just kept me wanting to keep on puffing on. Very tasty.

Next weekend I'll give a write-up on Macanudo Ascot Maduros. Without giving anything away I'll just say I have way too many of these in my humi.


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## zeavran1 (Aug 18, 2009)

I actually started smoking the smaller cigars before the larger ones. I look forward to checking the reviews for good small smokes because it's hard to find the time for regular cigars. Sorry I don't have a review but I just wanted to say thanks for this thread.


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## jedipastor (Sep 21, 2008)

The Petite Tatuaje, Petite Reserva Tatuaje, and Petite Cabaiguan are awesome (don't come in tins, but that size). 

All the CAOs in tins are great...Brazilia, Italia, MX2, Criollo, Gold, and the VERY small maduro and cameroon.

5 Vegas Shorty Torpedos are extremely good cigars (they may not be making them any more, though...)

Trinidad Trinidadito is a little stick that flies under the radar, but I really like them.


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## Stench (Aug 17, 2009)

I have actually gotten into cigars because of tin cigarillos and still smoke more of them than cigars. I'm still a newbie, but here's my best shot!

Ashton Esquires - my favorite cigarillo so far. Very smooth and earthy/woody taste with hints of leather, cedar and sweetness. Excellent burn. No harshness or aftertaste. Firmest ash of all I've tried. 15-20 smoke.Good construction and easy draw

Don Thomas Maduro - smooth and sweet with some spice and occasional bitterness. I like this one with a stronger drink (scotch or whisky). I've had some burn problems from time to time, but possibly due to maduro wrapper on such a small RS? Construction quality is not up to par with the others reviewed. Not bad, but have had more cap issues with these than any other. Easy draw.

Macanudo Ascots - very mild, buttery, hints of nuts. Excellent burn. I'm not a huge fan of this one as the flavor seems a bit flat and two dimensional. I usually smoke these in the morning with water or lemonade.
I don't like connecticut wrappers in general, so take this into account. Excellent for someone looking for a milder smoke. Excellent burn. Good construction and easy draw.

MonteCristo "Montes" - extremely small ring size. The flavor on these is a bit wider than the Mac's, buttery with some woodsy hints. I've had a hard time keeping these lit, but no other burn problems. The wrapper has "flaked" on a few of them, causing no problems just an observation. Possibly due to RH (before I had a coolidor). Ash is suprisingly firm and they are a bit hard and draw is firm. These are a very quick 10 min smoke.


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## KPI (Jul 22, 2009)

KPI said:


> Next weekend I'll give a write-up on Macanudo Ascot Maduros. Without giving anything away I'll just say I have way too many of these in my humi.


Ok, here it is, as promised. I took 3 Macanudo Ascot Maduros backpacking this past week. Fortunately for me it was NOT the only ones I took or it would have been a bleak trip.

I think if ever the term bland could be used in describing a cigar this is just the cigar for it. The prelight draw was actually nice, the draw was good throughout and the burn was decent. That's about all the good I have to say about it. Despite the easy draw you have to puff very hard to get a good amount of smoke out of it and at that it's pretty tasteless down to the last inch or so. It does develop a bit of spicy peppery flavor at the end, but for me it's just not a smoke I will keep in my humi. To be fair I took one from the top, one from the middle and one from the bottom of the bin, the oldest being at least a year and a half in the humi. I couldn't tell the difference between them.

I had well over 100 of these, but I tossed them all into a ziplock bag and brought them 'home" and gave them to my friend who likes them. At least there is someone who appreciates them and I now have some space for something else in my main humi. I bid them "good riddance" lol.

Not sure what I will write about next or when. Next weekend is Labor Day weekend and we're having family and friends up to the cabin for a pig roast. We do have wireless internet up there but I don't use it much. I got spoiled with FIOS and hate waiting for pages to load. Wireless is slower than DSL and I can't even watch a youtube vid on it.


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## KPI (Jul 22, 2009)

Stench said:


> I have actually gotten into cigars because of tin cigarillos and still smoke more of them than cigars. I'm still a newbie, but here's my best shot!


Nice little review, Stench. Thanks for contributing. I've smoked the Ashton's and tend to agree. It's a nice little smoke. I never tried a Mac Ascot, just the maduro version, which I just did a review of.

Everyone was a noob with cigars at one time, and you're a good example of why I started this thread. It is also my opinion that you are not a noob. You know what you like. That makes you an aficionado. We all enjoy cigars and even though I've smoked em for 35 plus years and have my favorites I am always in search of something better.

Keep em burnin.


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## cruisin66stang (Jan 5, 2008)

I'll second the Ashton's.


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## Royale Duke (Aug 14, 2009)

I have had a few different ones, but the stand out one for me was a Cohiba Pequena that I had.

My review:

The overall flavor profile of this little smoke is quite good, lot's of spice,pepper,wood, and it is VERY VERY smooth and the draw is wonderful. The 1st third was primarily wood and spice, 2nd third added pepper, and the final third went into a smooth, leathery finish with a bit of cocoa. Very nice little smoke, lasted about 30 mins or so.


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Royale Duke said:


> I have had a few different ones, but the stand out one for me was a Cohiba Pequena that I had.
> 
> My review:
> 
> The overall flavor profile of this little smoke is quite good, lot's of spice,pepper,wood, and it is VERY VERY smooth and the draw is wonderful. The 1st third was primarily wood and spice, 2nd third added pepper, and the final third went into a smooth, leathery finish with a bit of cocoa. Very nice little smoke, lasted about 30 mins or so.


I like the Pequeno's as well, very tasty little cigar.


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## Frinkiac7 (Dec 12, 2008)

Herf N Turf said:


> I actually love the CAO Brazilia and Criollo that come in tins of 5. I often dont have the hour-plus that it takes to smoke a larger vitola and the little CAOs are perfect for those times.
> 
> You have to be careful though. Many, if not most, smaller, tinned cigars are nothing but machine rolled, short/medium filler analogues of their larger bands. Once you get below about 36rg, be very, very suspicious.


I also like the CAOs in tins...4x38 is a perfect morning or drive-into-work smoke. The CAOs they claim are indeed hand-rolled.


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Frinkiac7 said:


> I also like the CAOs in tins...4x38 is a perfect morning or drive-into-work smoke. The CAOs they claim are indeed hand-rolled.


Agreed. I've tried the Brazilia, Italia, & the Mx2 minis. All of them looked hand rolled.

Also, I will be submitting a review soon.


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## chu2 (Jun 8, 2009)

I have a tin of Astral Favoritas on the way-I'll review them once they get here.


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## eyesack (Jul 19, 2009)

Here's my latest $.02:
Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Cuentos
Cost me 14.00 at local B&M for tin of 8
Flavors I noticed were fresh, woody taste with undertones of vanilla.
Burn-Time: about 30 mins when puffed slowly
I think the draw is very tight, but that may be as per ring gauge. Overall, these are wonderful little commute-smokes, and have piqued my interest in the real Reserva Real cigars. I'd highly recommend them if you can find them cheaper than what I payed.


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

cruisin66stang said:


> I'll second the Ashton's.


Me too.
Ashtons and LaGloria Cubana - Gloria Petit
I like the EMS and Maduro of both of those.


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## chu2 (Jun 8, 2009)

So I got those Astral Favoritos (not favoritas as I erroneously called them). Good little smokes, really creamy with hints of sweet vanilla at the start. They pick up a little spice towards the middle, enough to keep it interesting. After the midpoint, they get hot fairly fast. They also get quite harsh if smoked more quickly, which I think is pretty common with small cigars.

Mine lasted me about 20-30 minutes, not bad for what looks like a 5x30. Construction is fairly nice too, with a very even burn. 

Oh, and the best part-$5 for a tin of 10 on cbid. Doesn't get much better.


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Just had a H. Upmann Demi Tasse, 4.5 x 33.

Very rough construction, although it does appear to be handmade. Draw was a little tight all the way through, next time I'll give them a little more rest. Flavor was pretty good, a little sweet & creamy, nothing too fancy. All in all for just over $1 each, you could probably find something a little better, like CAO or RP tins. 

That's my .02


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## tmanqz (Jun 15, 2009)

I'll take shot at this.

Schimmelpenninck cigarillos

Country:Belgium

Price: $10.00 for tin of ten at cvs

Construction: very nice, tight, smooth wrapper, looks to have been rolled by some Hobbit's.

Lighter: Ronson Jet Light

Cut: none

As I write this Im sipping on a coors light and enjoying UFC fight nite. 
Draw is outstanding smooth as can be. Burns nice and even, no need to touch up. 
Starts out a bit spicey, black pepper, a pleasant surprize.
Fantastic clouds of white smoke.
Half way through turns a bit grassy and hay tasting and finishes that way.
15 minutes start to finish.

Overall a 6.5 Nice quick smoke, but not at a buck a piece.

Must be something better out there, to bad for the belgium Hobbit's.


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## mclayt13 (Jan 22, 2013)

I am glad to see such a thread available. I am quite new to cigar smoking and like a variety of options. I recently purchased 5 tins of SAINT LUIS REY RESERVA ESPECIAL PEQUENOS. Never have seen or smoked a cigar of this size before, so it will be interesting to compare to that of a larger Saint Luis Rey. Will give more feedback once I smoke one.


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